COVID 19 Updates - Montgomery County, MD

Marc Elrich, County Executive Andrew Kleine, Chief Administrator Officer

Catherine Matthews, Director Linda Moore, UCAB Chair

April 18, 2020

COVID ? 19 Updates

Statewide Requirement for Face Coverings Takes Effect Saturday, April 18; Additional Locations and Businesses Affected

Starting Saturday, April 18, Governor Larry Hogan's executive order requiring face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will go into effect. Maryland residents statewide must wear face coverings:

at all foodservice establishments on public transportation, including ride-sharing and taxi services at all retail establishments, including grocery stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, home improvement stores

and farmers markets at laundromats

"The Governor's order recognizes that while everyone should be staying home as much as possible, when going out in public to buy groceries or make other essential trips, we should all be wearing face coverings to protect others and protect ourselves," said Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles.

The Governor's statewide mandate will take the place of the order the Montgomery County Health Officer released on April 10. Montgomery County was one of the first in the state to mandate the use of face coverings in public spaces.

Visit Governor Larry Hogan's website to view the full text of the executive order.

For the latest COVID-19 updates, visit the County's COVID-19 website and follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCoMD.

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Silver Spring-based, Award-winning Jazz Musician Marcus Johnson Has A Message for You . . .

"While FLA is opening beaches, I was asked by our community leaders to record this! My pleasure to support my own. #mocostrong with an effect on everyone! Stay Home! Stay engaged! Exercise your body and mind! Social distance when out! In other words stay safe! We have many more memories to create together! I am thinking of and love you all!!! #FLO" --- Marcus Johnson



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Montgomery County Department of Transportation Will Require Ride On Bus Passengers to Wear Face Coverings - Started Thursday, April 16

Passengers on Montgomery County Ride On buses will be required to wear face coverings to board the bus, a measure the County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will make effective starting Thursday, April 16. MCDOT previously encouraged riders to wear face coverings, but that will now become mandatory. Customers who do not comply will be advised of the requirement to wear a face covering and may be directed not to board the vehicle or to exit the vehicle.

The directive follows guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Federal Transit Administration. A face covering can be a homemade cloth mask, a scarf, bandana or other means of snugly covering over the mouth and nose. The steps are being taken to help riders performing essential travel protect each other and bus operators during the COVID-19 health crisis. All Ride On bus operators were provided with County-issued face coverings earlier this week.

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Make a Face Covering with the County Executive

See video at

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Get the latest on COVID-19 Case Counts & More



The information on the case count chart is based on the Maryland Department of Health released on 4/17/20. The count may be different from those reported by MD due to sources of reporting. The case count chart is updated on Tuesdays and Fridays.

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County to Include Zip Code Data on COVID-19 Website

Montgomery County will post zip code data on its COVID-19 website starting on Friday, April 17, to provide additional information to residents about what is going on locally. The data will be from the Maryland Department of Health (MDH).

The zip code data released by MDH shows that zip codes in Montgomery County with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases are in Silver Spring (20904, 20906, 20902) and are among the top five in Maryland. However, according to health officials, factors such as population density and number of people tested can contribute to a higher number of confirmed cases identified. A closer look at other factors, such as age, show the numbers mirror what is being reported nationwide: older individuals are at higher risk of infection. Click here for more information.

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COMMUNITY RESOURCES AVAILABLE NOW DURING COVID-19

The Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center has compiled a listing of community resources to help individuals and families during this time of COVID-19. The information listed is current as of the dates indicated, and may change at any time. You should call to confirm, and check back frequently for the most updated information. Visit

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Montgomery County Commission on Veterans Affairs Offers Contact Information for Veterans During COVID-19 Health Crisis

The Montgomery County Commission for Veterans Affairs wants veterans to know that the Washington D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center's Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Gaithersburg and the DC VA Medical Center in Northwest Washington are currently operating during the COVID-19 health crisis. These organizations can help veterans who suspect they may have been infected by the virus.

The DC VA Medical Center will see veterans even if they are not yet enrolled in VA health care. However, to make an appointment at the CBOC, a veteran must be enrolled in VA health care. Veterans with any medical concerns--including suspecting that they may have COVID-19--are advised to call ahead before going to either facility.

Read more

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Helping the Hungry in the County

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved Maryland's request to issue emergency SNAP payments to currently enrolled households for April and May 2020. This means residents who receive SNAP benefits will receive the maximum amount allowed per month from April 1 through May 31. Click here for more information!

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Montgomery County Public Health Emergency Grant (PHEG) Program Application Period Still Open!

Montgomery County began accepting applications to its Public Health Emergency Grant (PHEG) program on Wednesday, April 15. The PHEG initiative is designed to help for-profit and nonprofit businesses with 100 employees or fewer during the current public health crisis.

The website offers information to help guide you through the application process. Funds will go quickly so don't wait!

A fact sheet describing eligibility and document requirements also will be available in Spanish, Amharic, French, Korean, Mandarin and Vietnamese.

The County is also hosting webinars to answer questions and provide updates on the PHEG program starting at 9 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays. For links, the schedule and instructions, visit resources/pheg.

More information on the PHEG program is available at -Resources/pheg/. Questions about the program should be directed to BizinfoCovid19@.

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Council will continue to hold public hearings by telephone during virtual Council meetings

Residents also can submit audio, video and written testimony through Council's online public hearing catalog

The Montgomery County Council will continue to provide community members with the option to present public hearing testimony by telephone for all Council public hearings. The call-in option was rolled out for the Council's public hearings on the operating budget and proved to be an effective tool to help expand public participation during the Covid-19 crisis.

Community members also have the option to provide audio, video and written testimony to the Council using a recently developed online testimony form on the Council's web page which can be found at . The testimony provided with the online option carries the same weight as testimony given at a public hearing. Councilmembers consider all comments as part of their deliberations.

Residents who would like to call-in to testify at a Council public hearing need to preregister on the Council's web page at . Once the public hearing sign up request form is submitted and the public hearing list is created, individuals will receive separate confirmation notifications that include the appropriate phone number to call for the public hearing. Residents can also provide their comments on issues before the Council on social media through the Council's Facebook and Twitter pages.

Finally comments and suggestions are welcome online at ; via email at county.council@; by sending regular mail to County Council, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850; or by calling the Council's budget hotline at 240-777-7802.

See the schedule of upcoming hearings for April 21. Please register to sign up by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 20.

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A message from the Food Security Task Force . . .

Training for Organizations and Volunteers Who Connect Residents to Food Resources

Dear colleagues, partners, and volunteers,

Because of COVID-19, we have seen rapid growth in unemployment rates and increased demand for food assistance. The Montgomery County Food Security Task Force is a collaboration of the Dept. of Health and Human Services, the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the Food Council, and other non-profit organizations. We are hosting a webinar to explore how service providers and front line workers can best connect residents with food assistance programs and services available in our community. Please join us for this webinar and learn more ways to assist Montgomery County residents to access the food assistance resources they need.

Dates being offered: Wednesday, April 22nd 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Monday, April 27th 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Location: Web-based Sign-up here the link will be emailed to you.

Please share with partner organizations, contractors, as we work together to get our community to appropriate food resources.

Information on the instructor: Amanda Nesher, Food Security Programs Manager, Montgomery County Food Council Amanda manages and coordinates the implementation of the Food Council's Food Security Plan initiatives, which aim to build a Montgomery County in which all people have access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food, with dignity. Amanda brings considerable experience in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, she worked as the Legislative Associate for anti-hunger nonprofit MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, where she advocated to protect and strengthen the federal nutrition safety net, with particular emphasis on the food security needs for veterans and military families. She previously worked as a corporate attorney at the offices of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP before relocating to Israel, where she worked as a Legal and Strategic Advisor for the Office of the Prime Minister. Amanda has an LL.M. from Columbia Law School in New York and a B.A. in Law from Cambridge University in England.

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Other News

Montgomery County Awarded Grant for Safety Improvements for Blind and Low-Vision Pedestrians and Transit Riders

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has been awarded $80,000 in technical assistance by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' Transportation Planning Board (TPB) as a part of its Transportation Land-Use Connections Program for Fiscal Year 2021. The grant will go to MCDOT's "Visually Impaired Urban Navigation StudyandPilot Design" project to examine technology and design tools to support visually impaired people who are navigating urban environments. The project will make recommendations on how to support safe navigation by blind and low-vision pedestrians to and from transit in dense urban areas. Consultants will design a pilot program focused on Downtown Silver Spring.

The project aims to strengthen the County's Vision Zero program, which seeks to eliminate all traffic-related fatalities by 2030. Read more

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Public Hearing on Shady Grove Sector Plan

Thursday, May 14

The Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing on the Shady Grove Sector Plan. An electronic copy of the Public Hearing Draft can be found at Due to COVID-19, the Planning Board will continue to meet virtually through April, and it is likely that the May 14th public hearing also will be held virtually.

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County Department of Transportation Employee Passes Away from COVID-19

Michael Miller, who helped manage the Ride On bus fleet for the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), has passed away from complications of the COVID-19 virus. Mr. Miller is the first County employee whose death is attributed to the pandemic virus. He passed away on the evening of April 15. Mr. Miller, 60, was a member of the MCDOT Transit Services Division based in the Silver Spring/Bethesda Depot. He has worked for the County since 2011 and lived in Prince George's County.

Statement from County Executive

Statement from Council President Katz =1

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